Intense firefighting efforts are underway on the island of Chios in Greece as wildfires threaten multiple communities and raise concerns of potential criminal activity.
Villages Evacuated as Wildfires Spread on Greek Island of Chios
Villages Evacuated as Wildfires Spread on Greek Island of Chios
Over 400 firefighters work to extinguish multiple blazes amid suspicions of arson.
More than 400 firefighters are currently combating a series of wildfires on Chios, an island in the Aegean Sea, prompting emergency declarations and the evacuation of over a dozen communities. The fires, which originated in the regions of Kofina, Agia Anna, and Agios Makarios Vrontadon, were reported on Sunday, with two additional blazes following shortly after, bringing the total to five by Monday night.
Firefighting efforts have been amplified with the deployment of 13 helicopters and four specialized firefighting planes, alongside ground units that are working relentlessly to contain the flames. As one of the largest islands in the Aegean, Chios is renowned for its mastic trees, although it attracts fewer tourists than other Greek islands during the summer months, which coincide with the peak wildfire season.
Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Giannis Kefalogiannis, described the challenging conditions on the ground. "The situation on the island since yesterday has been quite difficult because we constantly have new fronts and resurgences," he stated, highlighting the adverse climatic conditions hindering firefighting efforts.
The isolated locations of the blazes have raised suspicions of arson. Kefalogiannis emphasized the need for thorough investigations, saying, "When fires break out simultaneously in such scattered locations, we must speak of suspicious activity." Increased police and military patrols have been dispatched as officials look into the possibility of coordinated arson attacks on the island.
Greece has a long history of wildfires due to its hot and dry climate, but officials have reported a noticeable increase in both the number and severity of fires in recent years, a trend many experts attribute to climate change. In response to these growing threats, the government had previously committed significant resources to fire prevention, including thermal imaging drones and a budget exceeding 2 billion euros for fire detection technology.
Extremely high temperatures and fierce winds over the weekend caused conditions on Chios to become dangerously combustible, contributing to the rapid spread of the wildfires, which have proven difficult to control. Additional reinforcements have been brought in by boat and air to support the firefighting operations already in progress, as investigators from the Directorate to Investigate Arson Crimes examine the cause of the outbreaks.
Firefighting efforts have been amplified with the deployment of 13 helicopters and four specialized firefighting planes, alongside ground units that are working relentlessly to contain the flames. As one of the largest islands in the Aegean, Chios is renowned for its mastic trees, although it attracts fewer tourists than other Greek islands during the summer months, which coincide with the peak wildfire season.
Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Giannis Kefalogiannis, described the challenging conditions on the ground. "The situation on the island since yesterday has been quite difficult because we constantly have new fronts and resurgences," he stated, highlighting the adverse climatic conditions hindering firefighting efforts.
The isolated locations of the blazes have raised suspicions of arson. Kefalogiannis emphasized the need for thorough investigations, saying, "When fires break out simultaneously in such scattered locations, we must speak of suspicious activity." Increased police and military patrols have been dispatched as officials look into the possibility of coordinated arson attacks on the island.
Greece has a long history of wildfires due to its hot and dry climate, but officials have reported a noticeable increase in both the number and severity of fires in recent years, a trend many experts attribute to climate change. In response to these growing threats, the government had previously committed significant resources to fire prevention, including thermal imaging drones and a budget exceeding 2 billion euros for fire detection technology.
Extremely high temperatures and fierce winds over the weekend caused conditions on Chios to become dangerously combustible, contributing to the rapid spread of the wildfires, which have proven difficult to control. Additional reinforcements have been brought in by boat and air to support the firefighting operations already in progress, as investigators from the Directorate to Investigate Arson Crimes examine the cause of the outbreaks.
